Control device



April 12, 1938.

J. SNEDI DON CONTROL DEVI CE Filed Jan. 50, 1956 JOHN 5A/E000/v,

Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES CONTROL DEVICE I John Sneddon, McKeesport, tional Tube Company, a

Jersey Pa., assignor to Nacorporation of New Application January 30, 1936, Serial No. 61,625

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a control device and more particularly one which is operatively connected to a remotely situated valve, or the like.

In the operation of billet, plate or skelp heating furnaces using by-product or nautral gas as fuel, the supply thereof is ordinarily carried in underground mains and the volume controlled by means of a butterfly valve. This valve is usually located on the side of the furnace and is therefore not readily accessible to the furnace operator.

Under certain conditions, the furnace operator must remain at a station (such as the outlet or inlet end of the furnace) and cannot take leave therefrom to adjust the butterfly valve. For example, in skelp-welding operations the welder must also operate the furnace and for him to leave his station for valve-adjustments would retard production.

While occupying his working station, the furnace operator can readily ascertain from the character of the flame in the furnace the need for regulating the gas volume; whereas the flame cannot generally be observed from the location of the valve.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide means for enabling the accurate adjustment of valves or the like from remote locations, such as under the conditions previously described.

Another object is to not only effect minute adjustments of a remotely situated apparatus but also to instantaneously restore it to a predetermined position when such a need arises.

The foregoing and further objects will be apparent after referring to the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus of the present invention, part of which is shown in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 2 designates an underground conduit in which there is disposed a butterfly valve 3 for regulating the flow of gas therein.

A segmental wheel 4 is secured to the operating shaft of the valve 3 and carries an ear 5 to which there is connected a counterweight 6. As shown in Figure 1, this counterweight B influences the butterfly valve 3 into its closed position in the conduit 2.

A vertical standard 8 extends above the ground level to a height suitably accessible to a workman at a position adjacent a heating furnace of the type referred to. This standard carries a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft In to which there is secured a segmental wheel l2. The segmental wheels 4 and I2 are provided with cable the line II-II grooves l3 and cable clamps l4 whereby a control cable !5 may be connected therebetween. This control cable I5 is mounted over suitable pulleys l5 and carries a conventional turnbuckle H. A pointer i8 is also carried by the control cable l5 for coaction with a scale l9 which is mounted on the vertical standard 8.

A horizontal table 20 is pivoted, as at 2|, t0 the vertical standard 8 and extends immediately above the shaft Ill and segmental wheel I2. This table 20 carries on its lower surface a rotatable shaft 23 which extends at right angles to the shaft ID. A worm 24 is secured to the rotatable shaft 23 for engagement with a worm wheel segment 25 on the segmental wheel l2. A handwheel 26 is secured to the outer end of the shaft 23 for enabling its convenient rotation, whereby the accurate adjustment of the butterfly valve t may be effected.

In case it becomes necessary to rapidly close the butterfly valve 4 the furnace operator raises the horizontal table 20 whereby the worm 24 becomes disengaged from the worm wheel segment 25, and the valve is closed by the counterweight 6.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined by the following claim.

I claim:

A remote control device comprising, in combination, an element to be controlled, means for moving said element into a determined position, a rotatable shaft remotely disposed with respect to said element, a flexible cable connecting said element and said rotatable shaft, a Worm-gear secured to said rotatable shaft, a second rotatable shaft disposed adjacent said first-named rotatable shaft and at right angles with respect thereto, said second-named rotatable shaft being constructed and arranged for manual pivotal movement toward and away from said firstnamed rotatable shaft, a worm secured to said second-named rotatable shaft, said worm being constructed and arranged to mesh with the worm-gear on said first-named rotatable shaft and to move into and out of engagement therewith upon the pivotal movement of said secondnamed rotatable shaft, said first-named means being operable only when said worm is out of mesh with said worm-gear and means operated by said flexible cable and visible from said secondnamed rotatable shaft for indicating the position of said first-named element.

JOHN SNEDDON. 

